Locked doors, cat flaps and chlorine leaks: the rescues London firefighters respond to daily
Iain Hoey
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Firefighters in London rescue six people every day
New figures from London Fire Brigade have revealed that London firefighters rescued 3,627 people between January 2024 and June 2025.
According to the Brigade, this amounts to an average of more than six rescues every day across the capital.
The data includes rescues from 43 different incident types, including fires, water emergencies, chemical incidents and lift entrapments.
The most common rescue was where a person had collapsed behind a locked door, accounting for 1,754 cases.
The Brigade said that its firefighters are trained to adapt to varied emergencies and respond with specialist equipment.
Range of incidents includes fires, chemicals and mud
According to London Fire Brigade, 318 people were rescued from fires over the past 18 months.
The largest fire-related rescue occurred in Upper Norwood, where 10 people were rescued from a flat fire.
Firefighters also carried out 463 lift rescues, 229 rescues from locked-in situations, and 389 rescues described as other special service incidents.
These ‘special service’ calls are where there is no fire involved but firefighters deploy equipment to free someone from a dangerous or trapped situation.
Incidents included rescuing a person trapped in a cat flap, freeing window cleaners stuck in a cradle at height, and helping a child with their head stuck in playground equipment.
In Charlton in April 2024, firefighters rescued a man trapped in a trench on a construction site.
Specialist teams assist with water and chemical rescues
London Fire Brigade said it regularly responds to water and chemical emergencies.
It reported 68 rescues from water and mud incidents, often involving coordination with the Brigade’s Fire Rescue Unit and fireboats.
In March 2024, two children were rescued from the River Colne in West Drayton.
Rescues from chemical incidents occurred every other week on average, with 58 total since January 2024.
In August 2024, the Brigade carried out rescues at a swimming pool in Wembley following a chlorine leak.
These rescues often involve collaboration with hazardous material (HAZMAT) teams to deal with risks such as gas leaks and chemical exposure.
Callers urged not to delay due to embarrassment
London Fire Brigade is asking members of the public not to hesitate when calling 999 in an emergency.
Group Commander Shaun Coltress said: “When people think about rescues, they often imagine a firefighter carrying someone out of a burning building. But, as London’s rescue service, we are trained to carry out rescues in a variety of different ways.
“Our fire engines carry dozens of pieces of equipment, and firefighters are trained to adapt their skills to unique scenarios.”
Coltress added: “Sadly, our Control Officers sometimes receive calls where someone has been too embarrassed to call us and their situation has deteriorated for hours, or even days, before they have sought help.
“Whatever the emergency, we will provide advice and assistance without judgment. Most of our rescues are completed in less than an hour, so it’s much better to ask for help than to wait and risk further harm to yourself or others.”
Time taken for rescues varies by incident type
According to London Fire Brigade, rescue times differ depending on the incident.
The shortest incidents last 20–30 minutes and typically include lift entrapments or small animal rescues.
The longest rescues, such as those involving collapsed buildings or flooding, can take between two and three hours.
The average duration of a rescue incident was reported as 43 minutes.
The Brigade said it works to carry out rescues quickly while maintaining safety for both firefighters and the public.
London firefighters rescue 3,627 people across 43 incident types: Summary
London Fire Brigade reported that firefighters rescued 3,627 people between January 2024 and June 2025.
This equates to more than six people rescued per day.
318 people were rescued from fires, with the largest single rescue involving 10 people in Upper Norwood.
1,754 people were rescued after collapsing behind locked doors.
Firefighters responded to 43 different types of rescue incidents across the period.
Lift rescues accounted for 463 of the total incidents.
389 rescues were classified as special service incidents.
229 people were rescued from locked-in scenarios.
68 people were rescued from water and mud incidents.
58 rescues were made during chemical-related emergencies.
London Fire Brigade urged people not to delay calling 999 out of embarrassment.
The average duration of a rescue was 43 minutes.